Who is singing the lead role tonight?
kee KAN-tah eel RWOH-loh preen-chee-PA-leh sta-ZEH-rah.
Opera lovers always want to know who is performing, as the singer profoundly affects the experience. Ask at the box office or check the programme.
Chi canta means who is singing. Il ruolo principale is the main role or lead role. Stasera means tonight. In opera, knowing the specific performer matters enormously — the same opera can be transformed by a different cast.
È il cast originale o una sostituzione?
Is it the original cast or a substitute?
Opera casts sometimes change due to illness.
Chi è il baritono questa sera?
Who is the baritone tonight?
Asking about a specific voice type.
Il soprano è italiano?
Is the soprano Italian?
Expressing interest in the singer's nationality.
In Italian opera tradition, the leading soprano and tenor are the stars around whom everything else revolves. The prima donna (literally 'first lady') tradition gave us that English term. A great tenor is measured above all by his high C — the climactic note in famous arias.